Final Paper

Checkmate

            My profound learning as a result of the class is a deeper understanding of the concept of suffering and the impact it has on the lives of all people. The story of Job conveys much wisdom in the understanding of suffering. I am intrigued by the notion that suffering afflicts all people, both wicked and just, in our daily lives as we are finding ourselves immersed in the competition between God and the Devil for retribution and forgiveness. The concept of suffering, now that I am filled with the epiphanies of the whirlwind, makes an immense difference in my life, and how I perceive life. It is clear that peace is more profound after suffering.

            Job was an honest man who put all his faith, love, and loyalty into God. He was prosperous and had many possessions. Above all, he worshiped the Lord fully with no temptation in his heart to betray or love another. Yet, to test him, God makes a deal with the Devil to test Job’s loyalty and love. All of Job’s belongings are taken away from him, he is struck down with plagues, but still he does not curse God. Job’s friends speak to him, primarily Eliphaz, telling him, “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth” (Job 22: 21-22). The meaning of this passage suggests that we should, submit and devote ourselves to God and be at peace with him.  In doing so, prosperity and livelihood will come to you. Accept ‘law’ from his mouth and then speak his words of wisdom through yourself. But this just angered Job because he already knew this to be true. He already knew he loved God with all his heart, and that his friends were wrong, for they assumed since he was being punished he must be wicked and sinning. He therefore rebuts them and spends all of 24:12 telling them of the wicked and how God does not look at those who have done wrong and afflict them out of anger.  Rather, he continues to love them in an ever-growing manner. Even though Job whined within his heart, he ultimately knew that God loved him throughout his sufferings, and within his heart he knew he had done no wrong. Job has an epiphany that God allows for all to suffer, not just the wicked, and that this does not deplete the love God has for his children.

            I believe to this day, God and the Devil are still in competition for our souls and loyalty. Each day we are confronted with situations that can lead to suffering and hardships even if we choose to do the right things; the choice between paths is left in our hands. God still allows for the good to suffer, and every time they are suffering, it is a test of their faith in him. The afflicted, those enduring suffering have a choice to “curse God and die” or continue to live within his embrace and love. We are pawns in a giant game of chess between God and the Devil, and I can now see it much more clearly. Today it might occur like this: Both of them in a coffee shop with hot cups of joe, sitting in chairs contemplating their next move. They are surrounded by leather bound books of ancient philosophers and the Devil has a pipe in his mouth, takes it out momentarily to say, “I’ll take your knights good sir, and now I am one step closer to your king”. And God responds, “Not so fast, I believe you just sacrificed your queen”. Everyday is a new bet for our souls, yet God has the utmost faith in us. The irony is, as soon as suffering is cast upon us, we lose faith in him.

            We talked about how God can allow for people, both innocent and wicked alike, to be punished. The idea of unjust punishment was overwhelming. For example little children being struck with Polio and dying have no control, God just allows it to happen. In my mind, when I think of unjust punishment, the Holocaust consumes my thoughts. Thousands of innocent people are persecuted for their religion, or even the color of their eyes or hair (not being of the Aryan race). Women and children gassed and slaughtered, innocents that put their faith in a higher power who ultimately allows for their suffering and death. Suffering is innate.  For some ungodly reason, we are attracted to suffering. Think about it; most current media, movies and some books, depict some level of suffering and people flock to it. The movie “Jackass” shows extreme suffering and the masses are going crazy for it. Surely you can remember that day you were driving on the freeway, and there was an accident, and everyone slowed down to gawk at the accident to see if anyone was injured, dead, or suffering. This type of suffering is cathartic, in that by viewing the supposed carnage of the accident, this allows the viewer to experience the cleansing effects of suffering without experiencing the physical pains.  It is human nature to be curious, but it is sad that suffering in some aspect is an intriguing part of life. Before our class, I viewed suffering as a punishment, as if I did in fact do something to deserve the heartbreak or loss. But now, after understanding how suffering works, I look at it as a rock in my path, a boulder that can be overcome and moved aside, “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?”(Job, 28.12).  To me, this place of understanding and newfound wisdom lays within the realm of suffering and perseverance to overcome obstacles. We must suffer and be afflicted with the unfamiliar and unwanted in order to gain wisdom and strength. Through our understanding of how pain works we can understand the world and stay on our paths, boulder or no boulder.

            Another part of suffering I learned about was Northrop Frye’s concepts of the cave and the furnace. Prior to the class, I had no knowledge of a furnace or cave, mountain or even garden. Then Frye discussed various elements of life both physical and metaphysical. During our periods of suffering, or even reminiscing on our pasts we enter a place called the cave. The cave is a realm of darkness in which dreams and spirits (shades) dwell, and have the ability to fill in the Lacunas of our lives. These worlds also incorporate journeys primarily the heroes journey in which they must suffer at one point, and they are either helped by their spirit guides, “…Magical objects assist good people or are perverted by bad ones” (Frye 233). These entities help the traveler either ascend up and break through the suffering and darkness, or descend downward into the furnace. Understanding suffering helped me read through Frye’s chapter on the cave. It allowed for me to understand the purpose of our dreams and the subconscious pertaining to suffering and pain. This type of pain or journey allows for people to ascend and overcome their struggles through perseverance and faith.

                        After Job passed through his tests, “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.”(Job, 42.12). The same goes for people today, we must suffer in some way, but we can allow for this suffering knowing that something better is just around the corner. William Blake once stated, “Great things are done when men and mountains meet”. Once we pick ourselves up from the cave or furnace of suffering, gain the wisdom or knowledge needed from this suffering and start our assent up to the mountain and garden we can expect a new kind of peace in our lives throughout all the hardships and afflictions.